Good afternoon parish,
As we approach Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, presidential inauguration and Human Relations Sunday, we are given opportunity to champion efforts leading to peace, reconciliation and compassion. To quote an observation by Philemon F. Sturges, “Matthew Arnold counted as the single greatest line of all poetry that saying of Dante’s poetic insight: ‘In (God’s) will is our peace.'” We recover peace by following God’s purposes in our lives. This Sunday, we will emphasize that truth as we worship, sing and pray together. There will be a Conference-wide envelope for donations to Human Relations Sunday projects in our Worship Guide, but some may prefer to give to UMCOR for relief efforts in southern California or to UM Economic Ministry (our focused mission for January). We cannot give to everything, so give (as able) to the project(s) your heart prompts.
Tomorrow (January 18th, 5 pm, UMCA) we will hold our first public supper of 2025. We encourage you to Invite family and friends! The Park Avenue Pickers will serenade guests as they arrive. Also, the Girl Scouts will offer a Cookie Rally on the following Saturday (January 25th, 9 am to 1 pm).
This is also a Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, so I invite you to share this prayer with me: “God of grace, help us celebrate the shared opportunities which bring us together as one global family. Help us engage in common cause the challenges we face together. And help us cherish the spark of the divine ensconced in every human soul. We ask this in Christ’s name, amen.”
Go get ’em!
Pastor Steve Bascom